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Photo by Curtis Galbraith.
By Curtis Galbraith
City Hall

Highlights from Monday’s city council meeting

Mar 11, 2025 | 6:01 AM

Besides snow removal, council talked about several other things at its meeting on Monday.

Sports Dome

Council gave first reading to a borrowing bylaw for the new sports dome. Second and third readings will come after results from a request for proposals for the new, 135,000 square foot facility to be built in the Trade Ridge area come in.

There is a $10 million item already included in the budget. Council approved the dome idea and buying the land for just under $2.84 million at its last meeting.

Wildfire Prevention

Council approved applying for grants to continue wildfire prevention work in the area around the water treatment plant. Council has previously received grants from the Forest Improvement Association of Alberta to do similar work in that area.

Tourism Grants

Council approved two Large Scale Tourism Grants, worth $50,000.

One is for GrandeCon. It will take place September 12-14.

The other is for the Grande Prairie Traditional Pow Wow. This approval came after some discussion. Council had expressed some concern that the Pow Wow was not meeting some of the criteria set out by the city and that it had moved to Evergreen Park from the Bonnetts Energy Centre. The Pow Wow will take place June 20 to 22.

Updates for incentives programs

Council approved some charges to its Development Incentives and Grant Program.

These include a Fibre Optics Fee Rebate Program, where new infrastructure projects can get back up to 100 per cent of the fees charged for fibre alignment permits. This will be in place until the end of this year. The changes also include lowering the threshold for new commercial development grants from projects worth $25 million to those worth $18 million. So far, there have been no applications for help with city fees under this program.

Council also approved transferring $300,000 from its Economic Recovery Fund into its Municipal Fee Rebate program, bringing the total amount available to $1 million. This is for multi family developments and sees builders get rebates on building and development permit fees. There have already been 28 agreements under this worth $122,000 in rebates. There are 50 more projects waiting for approval.

After this discussion, council also passed a motion to have administration look at taxation on any building with 100 or more units while under construction.

Aging Well Together Action Plan

Council approved its Aging Well Together Action Plan. This includes a long list of ideas like more outdoor walking groups for parks and trails, promoting digital literacy programs at the public library and letting people 55+ know about ways to increase affordability.

The work to put together this plan started last year with the idea of making the city more age friendly.

After this was approved, council also approved having administration report back on working with community agencies that would see any senior that qualifies automatically enrolled in the Recreation Access and Transit programs.

Farewell to former councillor

Council paid tribute to former Councillor Wendy Bosch. She resigned from council to take the CEO job with the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce.

Council’s next meeting is set for March 24.

by Curtis Galbraith